Overall Trends
Total, fatal, and serious accidents in the selected range.
Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.
Fast key and full-text search with live filters, watches, and precise metadata.
Use quotes for exact phrase matches (for example "fuel selector valve").
Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.
Major cases, deep-report coverage, and investigation media across decades of NTSB history.
Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.
NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.
The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.
The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.
Tyonek, AK
The airline transport certificated helicopter pilot was transporting oil field personnel to an offshore oil producing platform. The pilot said that wind conditions, in conjunction with various platform mounted obstructions, required that he plan his approach to the left side of the helipad, then "side slip" to the right and over the helipad. He said that as he terminated his approach, and moved the helicopter to the right and over the helipad, the tail rotor struck a handrail that was adjacent to the helipad. The helicopter sustained substantial in-flight damage to the tail rotor blades, main rotor blades, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the northeast at 25 knots.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate tail rotor clearance while maneuvering to land.
On January 18, 2001, about 1032 Alaska standard time, a pop-out float equipped Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N80KA, sustained substantial damage during landing on the Phillips Tyonek Platform, about 6 miles east of Tyonek, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Kenai Air Alaska, Inc., Kenai, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the three passengers aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Kenai Airport, about 0954. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on January 18, the pilot reported the helicopter was landing on the elevated helipad of the offshore oil producing platform. He said that wind conditions, in conjunction with various platform mounted obstructions, required that he plan his approach to the left side of the helipad, then "side slip" to the right and over the helipad. He said that as he terminated his approach, and moved the helicopter to the right and over the helipad, the tail rotor struck a handrail that was adjacent to the helipad. The helicopter sustained substantial in-flight damage to the tail rotor blades, main rotor blades, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the northeast at 25 knots. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.